New Delhi: The central government has decided to take strict steps to crack down on human traffickers. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has made public the draft of Human Trafficking (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Bill, 2021 and has sought feedback on it by July 14. After the bill is finalized, it will require cabinet approval and consent from both houses of parliament for legal implementation. In this bill, a provision of imprisonment of up to 10 years has been made for those involved in human trafficking.
The much-awaited new draft bill proposes that anyone committing the offense of “trafficking of persons” shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than seven years, which may extend to ten years.
The bill also lists more stringent punishments for offenses classified as “serious forms of trafficking”. The Bill seeks to crack down on organized crime syndicates, organized criminal groups, including cross-border crimes.
